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Testimony begins in murder trial

Testimony was set to begin Tuesday in the trial accused in the death of a 15-month-old baby who authorities say died from blunt chest trauma in 2011.

Marcus T. Mitchell, the stepfather of the slain child, faces charges of first-degree murder, three counts of child neglect, three counts of possession of a controlled dangerous substance and one count of unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.

On Jan. 25, the child’s mother, Ashley Ann Mitchell, entered a plea of guilty to charges of enabling child abuse by injury and two counts of child neglect, three counts of possession of a controlled dangerous substance and one count of unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.

At the same hearing, another of Mitchell’s co-defendants in the case, his mother, Juanchellee L. Fitch waived jury trial on her own charges of accessory after the fact, child neglect and enabling child abuse. She has been set to enter a plea in that case on Feb. 6.

The three are charged in connection with the death of Emma Beth Warmberodt, who authorities say died on Feb. 24, 2011.

The three were charged after police were called to a home in the 300 block of Cherokee in Dewey in reference to an unresponsive child. Responding officers attempted CPR on the child but authorities say she had been dead for some time before police arrived.

Marcus Mitchell reportedly told authorities that he had struck Warmberodt on the back when she began choking on cereal. Police say he admitted to seeing blood on the child’s face but that he cleaned her face and put her back in a playpen and went to work, court documents show.

Police testified in a preliminary hearing on the matter that Warmberodt had bruises on her face and that Marcus Mitchell gave “numerous” accounts of the incident.

Additionally, police say that Marcus Mitchell said he and Ashley Mitchell had taken lortab in the days prior to the incident.

Ashley and Marcus Mitchell remained in the Washington County Jail on $500,000 bonds each, while Fitch remained jailed on $250,000 bond.